Corset-fastening



(No Model.)

TLJ. BROUGH. CORSET FASTENING.

No. 427,295. Patented May 6, 1890.

u 0 T N E V W WITNESSES.

ATTORNEY UNITED STAT S ATENT FFVICE.

Tl-IOMAS J. BROUGH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CORSET-FASTEN|NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,295, dated May 6, 1890.

Application filed August 20, 1889. Serial No. 321,374. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. BROUGH, of Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Corset-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in corsetfastenings, having for an object to provide a fastening which may be conveniently fastened and unfastened, which will not accidentally unfasten, and which will prevent the accidental loosening of one fastening as the others are being fastened.

The invention has for further objects other improvements; and it consists in the novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a corset provided with my improvements as in use. Fig. 2 is a detail View illustrating one of the end locks, and Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating one of the intermediate looks.

The corset A may be of any ordinary construction, having the edge steels or busks B C, the former being provided with the eyes I) and the latter with the looks. The eyes I) are of the ordinary construction, the busk B provided therewith being the ordinary busk now in common use. The busk 0' supports the locks, which are of a special construction and form the,novel features of my invention.

Vith the ordinary corset-fastenin g, in which the busk C has studs to enter the eyes I), the corset is usually secured by first fastening it at the bottom, then securing the middle fastenings, and finally the top; butin securing the middle fastenings it is commonin fact, it is Y the usual experience that thelower fastenings become loosened, and it is necessary to resecure the lower fastenings, and frequently the upper fastenings are loosened in securing the lower ones, and vice versa, resulting in inconvenience, loss of time, and in an increase of wear on the corset, resulting from the repeated fastenings and accidental unfastenings.

My invention seeks to avoid these objections, and in so doing I provide positive locks for the corset at the top and bottom, which when secured will not become accidentally loosened, and provide between said end locks intermediate locks, which preferably have hook-like projections to engage .the eyes of the busk B, and which projections are by preference mounted on plates pivoted practically in line with the shanks of the hooklike projections, so the said hooks may be r0- tated to release the intermediate fastenings. The details of the intermediate fastenings will be more fully described hereinafter.

The end locks D consist of a socket or keeper cl, opening at the iront edge of the busk O and adapted to receive the eye of busk B, a tongue or latch d, normally entering the keeper d in position for engagement by the eye I), a spring-plate D, supporting latch d and adapted to hold said latch normally up in keeper (1 in position for engagement by the corset-eye, or to be depressed to withdraw the latch from the keeper to release the corseteye, and the hand-lever D pivoted at d and having a cam-like head or portion (1 by which to depress spring D when the lever is raised, and so force the latch (1' out of the keeper and out of engagement with the eye I), so the latter may escape from the keeper d. The pivoting of lever D is effected by passing it through a slot (1 in the busk and forming its head with lateral shoulders to prevent it from moving outward through the slot, the lever being bent at the point where it fits in said slot, so that it cannot move inward when the tension of the spring is exerted against its head.

The spring D is secured by riveting orotherwise securing it at its ends to the busk on the inner sideof the latter.

The upper and lower locks, described as I the end locks, are alike, so that/the foregoing description will answer for both.

Now, it is not believed by me to be practicable to use locks of the described construction for the intermediate locks, for the reason that with a long row of such looks it would be inconvenient to fit the several eyes into their respective keepers. Consequently I find it practically necessary to employ between the end'locks intermediate locks having hooklike projections, and preferably constructed as shown most clearly in Fig. 3. In the said construction there is provided a hook-like projection E, pivotally connected with the busk, so it may be reversed to release the eye it secures, and having its upper side bey'eled or inclined at e from its point upward, so it may serve to guide the eye up on it when the hook is reversed and the eye is moved up on the busk. When the eye is moved upon the hook, it slips down thereover, and may be secured by turning the hook to operative position. To this end the hook is mounted on a plate or carrier E, which is pivoted practically in line with the shank of the hook to the busk, so the turning of the plate will efiect the desired turning of the hook. At its free end the plate has a projection or handle like portion 6 to facilitate its movement, and a stop E is provided to limit the opposite movements of such plate, such stop being preferably a flange or ledge at the free edge of the busk 0, arranged for abutment by the plate E in its opposite positions. The plates supporting the stop-flanges E are secured to the busk and serve to brace and strengthen the same, as will be readily understood. These intermediate locks, of which there may be three, more or less, may all be turned to unfastened position, the corset being opened. Now, by pressing the corset together at the bottomthe lower eye will enter its keeper and may be pressed into engagement With the latch therein. The top eye may be similarly secured in the top look. When the upper and lower eyes are so secured, the intermediate eyes will rest over the hooks of their respective locks and will slip down thereover, when the hooks may be reversed to secure the eyes, as before described. When so fastened, the corset is securely held and cannot become accidentally unfastened, yet can be conveniently unfastened when desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a corset-fastening, a lock consisting of a handle-like portion E pivotally supported at one end and provided in line with the pivot With a hook-like projection E, which extends to one side only of the pivot and is adapted to engage the corset-eye, and a stop, substantially as set forth.

2. In a corset-fastening, an improved lock consisting of a plate E pivotally supported at one end and provided at such end in line with the pivot With ahook-like projection E, which extends to one side only of the pivot and is adapted to engage the corset-eye, and a stop E arranged to limit the movement of the said plate E substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The improved corset-fastening herein described, consisting of the busk having at its opposite ends positive locks formed of keepers adapted to receive the end eyes, and spring-actuated latches entering said keepers and adapted to engage the eyes and provided between the said end looks with intermediate locks consisting of a plate E pivotally supported at one end and provided at such end in line with the pivot with a hook-like projection E, extended to one side only of the pivot, and a stop E arranged to limit the movement of the said plate E and the opposite busk having eyes, substantially as set forth.

The above specification of my invention signed by me in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS J. BROUGH.

Witnesses: P. B. TURPIN,

SoLoN (J. KEMON. 

